UNDP-ART GOLD Lebanon in collaboration with the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) inaugurated the Local Economic Development Office (LEDO) in North Lebanon at the premises of the Chamber of Commerce in Tripoli at 10:30 am. The ceremony was convened in the presence of Mr. Shombi Sharp, UNDP Officer in charge, H.E. Mr. Johan Verkammen, Ambassador of Belgium to Lebanon, Mr. Marcel Chabtini and Mr. Michel Bitar, respectively the First Vice-President and Second Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in North Lebanon, in addition to community representatives. This Office funded by the Belgium government is the first preliminary step towards an inclusive comprehensive local economic development approach in the North region for promoting local development through Public-Private Partnerships. The LEDOs will provide business development and territorial marketing services in addition to access to credits for the SMEs, agricultural cooperatives and other economic actors in the region. The Local Economic Development Agencies (LEDA) will be established in the four regions of South and North Lebanon, the Bekaa region, and Beirut Southern Suburbs.

Until the LEDAs are incorporated within the legal frameworks in Lebanon, LEDOs will be set up to facilitate a smooth transition through providing services to SMEs, cooperatives in addition to a wide-range of other vulnerable groups. Like LEDAs, these offices will help build the capacities of SMEs and support them in business development, territorial marketing and with access to credits. They will also identify and implement projects that contribute to the local economic development of the four regions.